The former mayor of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, is no longer fighting a criminal charge that he tried to trade drugs for sex.
R. Scott Silverthorne waived his right to a preliminary hearing on a drug distribution charge Wednesday in Fairfax County General District Court.
His lawyer, Brian Drummond, said Silverthorne plans to enter a plea when the case is heard in Circuit Court next month.
"We're trying to decide exactly how the plea will be at this time," he said.
Silverthorne was arrested in August by Fairfax County police after a sting at a hotel in Tysons Corner. Police said they set up the sting after receiving a tip that Silverthorne was using a dating website to set up sexual encounters with men in exchange for drugs.
Police say Silverthorne gave an undercover detective two grams of methamphetamine outside the hotel before his arrest.
Silverthorne, a three-term mayor, resigned after his arrest. The city held a special election Tuesday to select a new mayor, David Meyer.
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Meyer said the city has "been through a lot in the last six months."
Silverthorne's arrest came amid a trying year for him. He lost his full-time civilian job, lost his home and was diagnosed with cancer.
He was flocked by more than a dozen supporters outside court Wednesday. Residents said they still care for Silverthorne, despite the scandal.
“No one wanted to see that happen to someone who represented our city so well. He was a great advocate for Fairfax, and we hope that his personal life gets resolved soon," resident Janet Jaworksi said.
